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20 ‐ The radio firmware

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ErikS-web edited this page Mar 27, 2024 · 28 revisions

The radio firmware is based on EGZumer firmware with customized functions.

The radio continuously listens to commands via the programming cable and responds and continuously transmits the status such as the screen information.

You will need to program the radio with the accompanying firmware found here

Note

  • To free space for Q-Dock the Spectrum analyzer is removed from the firmware

  • Press the programming cable firmly into the radio. This is an example where this is NOT the case

Make an eeprom-backup (once)

Just to be sure.

Important

First: Did you make two backups from the EEPROM ?

Make this backup (once) of your radio, with k5prog-win in two steps.

  1. Read Configuration. And save the file.

  2. Read Calibration. And save the file.

    Make-A-Eeprom-Backup-With-K5prog

  3. Step 1 and 2 ready ? Now you can continue ....

Second: Use Chirp (EGZUMER version) and make backup of the(original) channellist


Installation Video

First watch this video ( until timestamp 3:45 )

Flash the latest firmware release

Flashing firmware is possible with a separate program, but can now be done much more easily from your web browser (Only Chromium based browsers such as Chrome, Edge, Opera).

  • Use a Baofeng/Kenwood-like USB-2-Serial-cable and connect it to your computer.

  • Switch off UV-K5

  • Put the UV-K5 into programming mode (press and hold the PTT button and turn on the UV-K5, check that the white flashlight lights up).

  • Then press the programming cable firmly into the radio

  • Just goto the page with official released firmware releases and download the latest and flash it your way, or ...

  • Use this section in de README.md "Modified firmware forked from"

    • Press (there) the text 🗲FLASH WITH A BROWSER🗲 (Chromium based browsers only). Thanks go to egzumer for providing this tool.

  • Continue with
  • Press Flash firmware and a screen pops-up.
  • Select the Com-port where the programming-interface is connected.

Radio Menu

The radio can also be used disconnected from the PC. That is why it is useful to have this overview of the menu items.

Menu operation

The menu can be accessed with the M button (short press).

Once in the main menu, the menu items will be displayed on the left-hand side of the screen. The currently selected menu item will be highlighted and current value for that menu item will be shown on the right. Also, at the bottom left side a number of the menu item will be shown, ranging from 01 to the highest number.

To find the menu item to access, the UP/DOWN arrow keys may be used, or the menu item number (see lists below) may be entered on the numeric keypad. For instance, to access the Demodu - demodulator mode a number 14 can be entered on the keypad.

Once the desired menu item is highlighted, pressing the Menu key will enter into that menu item.

Once the menu item is selected, pressing the up and down arrow keys will adjust the setting for that menu item. To confirm the selection, press the Menu key. To cancel the selection, press the EXIT key.

Main menu

The number in front of the menu-item-description is an menu item number that can be used for quick selection.

  1. Step - step of the frequency (in kHz), up/down buttons change frequency by this value, also you can only set a frequency that is multiple of this value. 2.50/5/6.25/10.00/12.50/25.00/8.33 are the steps that can be set by programming software, all other steps are extension from standard software, and can only be selected from this menu entry.
  2. TxPwr - radio output power (LOW/MID/HIGH)
  3. RxDCS - receiver Digital-Coded Squelch, if you enable this, squelch will only unlock if this code is being received. You can start a DCS/CTCSS scan while you are in this menu option by pressing * SCAN button
  4. RxCTCS - receiver Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System, squelch will only unlock if this code is being received. You can start a DCS/CTCSS scan while you are in this menu option by pressing * SCAN button
  5. TxDCS - transmitter Digital-Coded Squelch, radio will send given code while transmitting
  6. TxCTCS - transmitter Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System, radio will send given code while transmitting
  7. TxODir - transmitter frequency offset direction
  8. TxOffs - transmitter frequency offset value
  9. W/N - bandwidth used by transceiver
    • WIDE - 25kHz
    • NARROW - 12.5kHz
  10. Scramb - scrambler, distorts the audio so it would be harder to understand for other listeners, if two radios use the same setting they can communicate
  11. BusyCL - busy channel lockout, blocks radio from transmitting because signal is being received (with BUSY on screen while PTT is pressed)
  12. Compnd - compander (compressor/expander), allows signals with a large dynamic range to be transmitted over facilities that have a smaller dynamic range capability, improves audio quality, both radios should use this option
  13. Demodu - demodulator mode, default is FM, AM/USB can be used for listening only
  14. ScAdd1 - add channel to scan list 1
  15. ScAdd2 - add channel to scan list 2
  16. ChSave - save current setting to a memory channel
  17. ChDele - delete memory channel
  18. ChName - modify memory channel name
  19. SList - selects which channel is used by memory channel scanner
  20. SList1 - channels assigned to scan list 1
  21. SList2 - channels assigned to scan list 2
  22. ScnRev - scan resume mode
    • CARRIER - resume scan after signal disappears
    • TIMEOUT - resume scan after 5 seconds pause
    • STOP - after receiving a signal, stop the scan
  23. F1Shrt - side button 1 short press function
  24. F1Long - side button 1 long press function
  25. F2Shrt - side button 2 short press function
  26. F2Long - side button 2 long press function
  27. M Long - menu button long press function
  28. KeyLck - auto keypad lock option
  29. TxTOut - max transmission time limit
  30. BatSav - battery save option, the rate between active time and sleep time (OFF/1:1/1:2/1:3/1:4)
  31. Mic - microphone sensitivity (+1.1dB .. +15.1dB)
  32. MicBar - microphone bar that appears while transmitting
  33. ChDisp - channel display style (Name + Freq or Number)
  34. POnMsg - power on message
  35. BatTxt - additional battery value on the status bar in % or V(oltage)
  36. BackLt - backlight duration (OFF/ON/configured Time)
  37. BLMin - minimal backlight brightness, when the screen backlight turns OFF it will go dim to this value
  38. BLMax - maximal backlight brightness, when the screen backlight turns ON it will turn bright to this value
  39. BltTRX - backlight activation on TX or RX
  40. Beep - keypad press beep sound
  41. Roger - roger beep at the end of transmission (OFF/ROGER/MDC1200)
  42. STE - squelch tail eliminator, eliminates noise at the end of a transmission
  43. RP STE - repeater squelch tail eliminator
  44. 1 Call - one key call channel, lets you quickly switch to the channel with 9 Call button
  45. ANI ID - DTMF communication radio ID
  46. UPCode - DTMF code that is sent at the beginning of transmission
  47. DWCode - DTMF code that is sent at the end of a transmission
  48. PTT ID - sets if UPCode and/or DWCode should be transmitted
  49. D ST - DTMF side tone switch, lets you hear transmitted tones in the radio speaker
  50. D Resp - DTMF decoding response
    • DO NOTHING: do nothing
    • RING - Local ringing
    • REPLY - reply response
    • BOTH - local ringing + reply response
  51. D Hold - DTMF auto reset time
  52. D Prel - DTMF pre-load time
  53. D Decd - enables DTMF decoder
  54. D List - list of DTMF constacts
  55. D Live - displays DTMF codes received by radio in the middle of the screen
  56. AM Fix - activates autogain AM fix function
  57. VOX - voice TX activation sensitivity level VOX Setting (OFF/1 .. 10)
  58. BatVol - battery voltage and percentage
  59. RxMode - sets how how the upper and lower frequency is used
    • MAIN ONLY - always transmits and listens on the main frequency (NO extra characters on screen)
    • DUAL RX RESPOND - listens to both frequencies, if signal is received on the secondary frequency it locks to it for a couple of seconds so you can respond to the call (DWR on screen)
    • CROSS BAND - always transmits on the MAIN/primary and listens on the secondary frequency (XB on screen)
    • MAIN TX DUAL RX - always transmits on the primary, listens to both (DW on screen)

Explanation of how these modes function

  • The main channel is marked ► and with PTT active ►TX
  • A receiving channel is marked RX as soon as a signal is received. Other VFO/channel is blocked from RX.
  • With DUAL RX RESPOND, the secondary VFO/channel is marked > as temporarily the main channel when something is received there.
  • If nothing is received after a timer of 4 seconds (>< on screen), that status will expire.
  1. Remote - control communication between radio and PC (On/Off and default ON at power-up)
  2. Sql - squelch sensitivity level (0=OFF/1 .. 9)

Tip

Set 33.ChDisp-channel display style which can be set to name + frequency

Hidden menu

Hidden menu is activated by holding PTT + SIDE BUTTON 1 while turning on the radio and than Release All Keys.

The number in front of the menu-item-description is an menu item number that can be used for quick selection.

  1. F Lock - sets the TX frequency band plan.
    • DEFAULT+ (137-174, 400-470) - allows TX on default bands, plus options Tx 200, Tx 350, Tx 500
    • FCC HAM (144-148, 420-450)
    • CE HAM (144-146, 430-440)
    • GB HAM (144-148, 430-440)
    • (137-174, 400-430)
    • (137-174, 400-438)
    • DISABLE ALL - disables TX on all frequencies
    • UNLOCK ALL - enables TX on all bands (it has additional lock, read a wiki on how to turn that on)
  2. Tx 200 - enables TX on 200MHz
  3. Tx 350 - enables TX on 350MHz
  4. Tx 500 - enables TX on 500MHz
  5. 350 En - enables RX on 350MHz
  6. ScraEn - enables scrambler function
  7. BatCal - battery calibration, measure the voltage on the back of the radio, and adjust the value in the menu accordingly
  8. BatTyp - battery type, 1600mAh and 2200mAh battery has very different discharge curve, this is used to calculate battery level percentage
  9. Reset - resets radio configuration settings
    • VFO - removes only channel settings
    • ALL - resets all radio settings

TX on all bands

Warning

This modification is UNTESTED and is for RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY, to explore the capabilities of the device and its chipset. DO NOT transmit on illegal frequencies. DO use a dummy load. The author(s) and contributor(s) of this repository are NOT liable for any damages, litigation, or other consequences of the misuse of this research firmware and do not accept any culpability. By installing any firmware from this repository, you accept full responsibility for any consequences that may arise and waive the right to pursue legal action against the author(s).

This option won't give you ability to transmit in any other modulation than FM, this is a hardware limitation. Switching to AM or SSB only switches AF audio output mode of a RF IC. It doesn't switch the whole IC into AM/SSB mode. This is for listening only. This firmware is also built with additional lock that blocks TX when AM or SSB is on.

As an example against using this for actual communications, consider the following chart for transmission power for a transmission at 27.254MHz:

  • 27.254MHz -> 228 microwatts
  • 54 Mhz -> 2.4 milliwatts
  • 81 Mhz -> 230 milliwatts
  • 109 Mhz -> 558 milliwatts
  • 136 Mhz -> 412 milliwatts
  • 163 Mhz -> 122 milliwatts
  • 190 Mhz -> 14.8 milliwatts
  • 218 Mhz -> 2 milliwatts
  • And finally, on 245 Mhz -> 2.6 milliwatts.

CREDITS: https://github.com/Tunas1337/UV-K5-Modded-Firmwares#even-bigger-warning

How to unlock TX on all bands

  1. Go to hidden menu
  2. Enter menu F-Lock
  3. Choose option UNLOCK ALL
  4. Repeat steps 2-3 10 times. Do it carefully, if you confirm any other option in the process counter will get zeroed and you will have to repeat that 10 times more.

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